Automobile bumper



F. C. WALTER AUTOMOBILE BUMPER June 26, 1928. l,675,288

' Fa Dec. 21, 1927 Patentecl June 26, 1928.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFics.

FRED C. WALTER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO GOMPANY; OF CINCINNATI,OI-IIO, ,A CORPORATION OF `OHIO.

Application filed December 21, 1927. Serial No. 241,488t i i with theautomobileiframe via Spring meinbers shaped to translate horizont'allydirected impacts to the vehicle springs.

F urther objects and advantages will be more fully set forth in thedescription of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved bumper spring or supportingmember showing it secured to the forward endof an automobile chassis andshowing the impact bar in Section and in positionon the spring.

Figure 2 is a. perspective view of the improved spring or support-ingmember.

Figure 3 is a view of the bumper impact bar assembled on a pair of theimproved springs or supporting members as a unit adapted to be securedto the forward end of the automobile chassis.

A tubular impact bar 1 is secured to the automobile frame by means oftwo Spring members 2 adaptedl to be attached to the automobile frame atopposite sides thereof. The construction at one side of the automobileframe only is illustrated, the connection being similarly made at theother side. This frame member 3 has secured adjacent to its forward endthe vehicle spring 41- by means of a shackle bolt 5.

Projecting from the end of the frame and secured thereto is the bumpermounting 6. This bumper mounting has two vertically disposed surfaees 7spaced apart one above the other. The bumper spring 2 isiof novel formand comprises a spring loop, the ends 8 of which face one another butpreferably do not contact. Adjacent to these ends are apertures 9 bymeans of which the loop spring is attached to the bumper support. Theends of the loop are disposed against the vertical surfaces of thebumper support and an apertured reinfor'cing plate 104 placed on theout'side of'the sprngends within the loop of the' spring. g

Two kscrows 11 pass through the plate, the apertures of the bumperspring, and into the bumper support, one screw Ventering each of thevertically.disposed bumper lsupport surfaces. These reinforcing` plates10 tend to prevent breakage 'of the bumper springs ad-l jacent tothebolt holes. Lock washers 12 are `placed between the heads of thesescrews and the retaining plate.r H p The bumper Spring so mounted isprovided with a lower loop of substantially U- shape and an` upper loopof Vlesser diameter.

A seat 13 for the impact fbar is v provided in the forward portion ofthe upper loop, the loop being there contoured'into a forwardly facingconcavity.

Passing ``about the impact bar Vat the points where connections to thebumpervi springs 'are made are-clips 14, each clip 14v comprising aneyelet portion 15 and twoextending ends 16. These clips are sopositione'd that the eyelet portions seat in the concave seats in thebumper springs and the ends extend downwardly parallel with that portionof. the loop springs below the seat and above the U-shaped lower loop.These ends of each clip are apertured in registry with an aperture inthe bumper spring and i each clip is secured to the bumper spring bymeans of a bolt 17 and nut 18, the bolt passing through the ends of theclip an'd through thespring.

The tightening of this nut 18,v therefore, tightens the clip about thetubular impact bar and secures the impact bar to the bumper spring. Asecond attachment is made near the top of the concave seat by means of aa bolt 19, a nut'20, and Washer 21, the bolt passing through the eyeletof the clip and THE CINCINNA'I'I BALL GRANK' through the bumper Springat that point.

The tubular bumper bar is provided wtl' a lon itudinal depression 22 atthat point and the ,ead of the bolt fits within this depression, therebya'dditionally securing the impact' bar against rotation or displacementand also enabling one size bar to be used on various cars which havedifferent frame widths.

The impact bar is thus mounted at a point higher' than its support, sothat any horizontal shock will be transmitted by the' yield of thebumper springs downwardly onto the vehicle springs. The upper loop beingsmaller than the lower loop is 'less resili'ent and the two togetherprovide a conpoundresistance to impacts. Many impacts might not bel` ina horizontal direction, and it to be noted that even should the impacthave an upward component this up-' Ward component Would bev inclined tobe translated downwardly by the flexin of the upper loop Which extends:vertically from the vertically' disposed supporting surface.

In fact, this loop springyprovides yieldable resistance to impacts' uponthe impact bar from whatever direction they ma come and the impact Vbarcan consequently e subjecte'd to no stresses for which there is notpresent a yieldable resistance. i

fThis loop Spring could be made in several pieces without departingfrom' the spirit of this invention but a bunper spring-comprising a flatstrip of Spring metal bent into a loop is disclosed since it Vis thepreferred embodiment of the invention because of economic factors. y

Having described my nvention, I desire to be limited only by, theensuing claims:`

luAn automobile bumper, comprising, a rigid impact bar, and a pluralityof verti-` cally disposed loop springs connecting the impact bar to theautomobile frame, said im-` pactbar mounted at. points upon the loopsprings above the points of connection of the loop springs to theautomobile.

2. A bumper for antomobiles, comprising, a tubular impactbar, andtvvo'loop springs connected thereto, said loop springs adapted to beconnected to an automobile frame, said loop sp'rings each comprising alower Llshaped loop and an upper loop of lesser dameter.

3; A Spring adapted to connect an impact bar :with an automobile frame,said Spring comprising, a lengthiof fiat Spring metal bent into asubstantial loop With the ends opposing each other, said looprovidedexteriorly with a concave sur ace adapted to form a seat for atubular impact bar` lif A bumper for automobiles, comprising, agrigidimpact bar, supports secured 'in spacedwrelation on the .automobileframe, a clip foreach: support, said clips surrounding said bar, boltsattaching said clips to said` supports, Jand said bar havinglongitudinally disposed depressions engageable With the head of a boltin each `clip for preventing rotationfiof the bar and permittinglongitudinal adjustment of the bar in relation ,to theV supports;

n Witness Whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name. i

FRED c. WALTER.

